I Am (Chrisette Michele album) explained

I Am
Type:studio
Artist:Chrisette Michele
Cover:I Am (Chrisette Michele album) cover art.jpg
Recorded:2006–2007
Length:56:25
Label:Def Jam
Next Title:Epiphany
Next Year:2009

I Am is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Chrisette Michele, released in the United States on June 19, 2007, by Def Jam Recordings.

Production

Michele began working on the music that would make up I Am before she had a recording contract, and started promoting her work by visiting events for independent artists. During this time, she caught the attention of L.A. Reid, who later signed her to Island Def Jam, where she got support from producers such as Babyface, will.i.am, and John Legend.

The video for the album's lead single "If I Have My Way" premiered on VH1 Soul. The video for her second single "Best of Me" premiered on July 6, 2007, on Yahoo! Music, and was later added to VH1's video rotation. "Be OK", which features will.i.am, was released as the third single from the album, whose music video was on BET's 106 & Park on December 18, 2007. "Love Is You" was the fourth and final single and was released in 2008.

Reception

I Am debuted at number twenty-nine on the US Billboard 200, selling 26,000 copies in its first week.[1] Despite lack of promotion, the album has thus far managed to sell 419,000 units in the United States as of late February 2009.[2]

I Am received generally positive reviews. Internet publication AllHipHop gave the album a stellar rating, stating: "She is Chrisette Michele and with her debut, I Am (Def Jam), this constituent of the House of Hov delivers one of the quietest, yet most powerful albums out there." The album's third single, "Be OK", won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.

Track listing

Sample credits

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2007)Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[4] 58
Chart (2008)Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[5] 44

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabelCatalogRef.
United KingdomJune 18, 2007Island14466[6]
United StatesJune 19, 2007Def JamB000877402[7]
CanadaJuly 10, 2007
GermanyJuly 24, 2007Universal Music[8]
JapanNovember 21, 2007Universal Japan91147[9]

Notes and References

  1. Bon Jovi Scores First No. 1 Album Since 1988 . 2009-03-22 . Hasty . Katie . June 27, 2007 . Billboard.
  2. Chrisette Michele Has An 'Epiphany' On second album . https://web.archive.org/web/20090227035241/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/chrisette-michele-has-an-epiphany-on-sophomore-1003944325.story . dead . February 27, 2009 . 2009-03-22 . Concepcion . Mariel . February 24, 2009 . Billboard.
  3. Web site: I Am – Oricon . 2009-03-22 . . Japanese.
  4. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2007. Billboard. 2 January 2013. October 7, 2020.
  5. 2008 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Billboard. April 24, 2016.
  6. Web site: Rakuten.
  7. Web site: I Am (Bonus Track Version) by Chrisette Michele. iTunes. January 2007.
  8. Web site: I Am - Chrisette Michele | Release Info. AllMusic.
  9. Web site: I Am [Bonus Tracks] - Chrisette Michele | Release Info. AllMusic.